The Unexpected heir

CHAPTER 2

At 2am Benson corp CEO office

The building was quiet everyone has already retired from work only the sound of the air conditioner and the click of Corey's pen, across the desk was a laptop, a cup of coffee and the folder the CFP gave her earlier about the q3 losses

Corey stared at the excel sheets, formulas, rows and red numbers on her laptop she leaned backwards ran her hands through her hair, replaying the words Damian Vance used during the board meeting

"Can you read a balance sheet, Ms Benson... Damian's cold voice was still in her head

"Okay Corey, you can do this, she whispered in her mind assuring herself that she is capable she googled current assets on her phone with one hand and typed into the laptop. Cash, inventory and account received she used her highlighter to circle the things that made sense.

She clicked the liabilities and felt her stomach dropped.

"2 million a month.... Jeez, how did dad let this happen" she said "he really did run out of time" she sighed

Just then her phone buzzed.

"Where are you? ... Call time in 6hrs, you have a commercial to shoot" her agent said.

"Okay"... Corey just answered and her phone buzzed again

How's plan going sis?

"Learning fast sis, but currently working on something " Corey typed back and put off the phone.

She leaned back again and stared at her dad's signature on the frames photo on the desk. She wasn't just an actress here, no script pages, no director yelling cut just her and the red numbers in her laptop.

"You got this Corey, show them who's boss"... She encouraged herself.

At 3:17 am, she finally got the total to balance

Assets equals liabilities+equity, the green "0.00" at the bottom made her exhale like she just won a marathon. On the last page she wrote in pen messy but firm.

Action plan 30 days

* Cut 3 low performing divisions

*Renegotiate vendor contracts

* Call the top 10 clients and offer 20 percent discount for early payment

Then she wrote "I don't have all the answers but I have the numbers"

After doing all this she packaged the papers into a folder and whispered

"Now let's see if Damian thinks it's cute or credible"

She put it into her bag and brought out her phone to text her agent

" I'm on my way to the shoot, alert my driver to pick me up"

Soon after her driver came over to pick her up and drove her to the place of her shoot

That same day 10 pm

Corey was in her room on her bed pizza box opened, hair in the claw clip still messy, she changed into her pajamas and was on face time on her laptop with Alex.

"Girl!... You look ferral, did u die? Alex said

"Almost... She said while grabbing a pizza "okay so... Picture this 2am, 47th floor, Me, a laptop and a balance sheet that says NEGATIVE TWO MILLION A MONTH

Alex chokes on water

"Wait did u just say 2 million a month"

"Yeah Assets, liabilities,equity the whole nightmare you know, I was literally googling what a current asset is while typing cash , inventory, account received and I was like okay Corey you got this" Corey said narrating her ordeal to Alex.

"And... Did it balance? Pls tell me it balanced ... Alex said

"Of course Alex, Green zero, zero point zero... Corey said proud of herself

"I'm so proud of you bestie, but what did u do with it ?

"Actually I made a plan, cutting 3 dead divisions off, renegotiating vendors and chasing the people who owe us some money after all this let's see how Damian will think of me "..." Gosh Alex he was so annoying Corey said...

Alex snorts

" Annoying? Corey, Damian gave u a 30 day plan and u used it to save the company that's not annoying that terrifying"

Corey groans and falls back in the bed and then rises back up

"You don't get it Alex, he was like"can u read a balance sheet" in that "I'm smarter than you" voice and now I have to go back and tell him I cut 3 divisions based on a plan.

Alex pauses

" Wait do u like him or do u just hate him? Because there's a very thin line.

Corey scoffs

" Shut up... I do NOT like Damian Vance he's rude and bossy and he also drinks black coffee like a villain.

"So u noticed what he drinks... interesting... Alex smirks " look what I am trying to say is... You took his plan and made it better... I mean that could save and retrieve 2 million dollars for a company and now you are about to pitch. If that's not giving"impressing the mentor " energy... I don't know what it is.

Corey sits up and suddenly becomes serious

"What if he thinks I am overstepping? What if he tells the board I am not ready ?... Jeez he can be terrible sometimes.

Alex grins

"Girl!, Who are you? , The Corey I know doesn't talk like this, if he gives you an attitude, just say Green zero, zero points zero with that CEO aura, show them who rocks...

Corey burst out laughing

"You're the worst bestie... Sighs but thank you .. really I appreciate it.

"That's what besties are for right?... Now go make Damian eat his words. Alex said

Corey yawns

"Alright Alex, u have 7 hours before the board meeting, I have to go to bed, talk to you later bye.

"Bye bestie, you'll make a great CEO, trust me... Alex said Corey gave a heart warming smile ...and they bayed each other good bye then Corey retired for the night.